Author: islandword

By Susan Holvenstot Already two have had their power cut off –both of them “Smart” Meter resisters. Rotraut in Fanny Bay, and Chris in Merville. For concerns about health, fire safety, privacy and freedom of choice they decided not to accept the “smart meter” being installed province wide last December. They filed legal documents, posted signs and tried to protect the integrity of their homes. They each decided not to pay part of the $32 month penalty fee, charged by BC Hydro for keeping their old functional analog meters. Thus they had “overdue” amounts. On Oct 30 Rotraut returned home to find a red tag on her now-motionless analog (legacy) meter. The local media reacted appropriately, and she was TV news across Vancouver Island. One of the local papers rans a strong editorial condemning BC Hydro for cutting off this senior, days before a BC Hydro “winter season-cold weather” moratorium started on Nov 1. (This claimed policy was only so much hot air from BC Hydro.) Then on Nov 5, Chris found a BC Hydro female worker disconnecting her Merville home. Both are still without power, for different reasons. Who are these women? Are they just cranks who brought this misfortune upon themselves? Or do they have real reasons for not wanting a “smart” meter? Rotraut is of German descent and told me “I won’t pay Hitler” regarding the...

Note- This article was originally published in the island WORD on April 2009. by Danny Zanbilowicz, April 2009 Charles Cherrington is one of those people of whom one thinks- “This guy has a perfect voice for radio”. It is deeply resonant, still rich with British tones, sounding like it comes from inside an echoing building, or from a mountaintop. And in fact, Cherrington twice had a radio – show on the west coast. Trouble is, Charles also has a face for television- chiseled, dignified and dashing. And a mind for the intricacies of the stock exchange. And the charm of a natural born salesman, not to mention the discipline and courage of a soldier, or the curiosity of a spiritual seeker. And therein lies the dilemma – a plethora of gifts has enabled Mr. Cherrington to enjoy a remarkably eventful and diverse life, but with so much possibility, it has not been conducive to settling down. A self-admitted “gentleman adventurer”. Cherrington has been at or near the centre of many of the last century’s decisive events. Born in Singapore in 1933 of a British colonial service officer, and a woman who was part Malaysian, Cherrington’s family traces its home in England back to the year 960 in the village of Cherrington, Shropshire. From his early years growing up privileged on the Malay Peninsula, he remembers elaborate “birthday parties with...

By Vivien Douglas One of the famous sights in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is a life-sized bronze statue, by sculptor Ross Wilson, entitled “The Searcher”. Erected in 1998, in honour of the centennial of author C S Lewis’s birth there, it depicts the author as one of his own characters – Digory Kirke – about to step into a large wardrobe, presumably in search of the mysterious land of Narnia. Those who love the cycle of children’s fantasy novels, The Chronicles of Narnia, need not go to such lengths this winter. A visit to the enchanted kingdom can be theirs for the price of a theatre ticket, as Courtenay Little Theatre presents the musical Narnia, based on The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the first book in the series and listed as one of the “100 Greatest Novels in the English Language”. Directed by Brian Mather, with musical direction by Michael Eddy, this delightful version by Jules Tasca, Thomas Tierney and Ted Drachman, will thrill both young and old, as it brings the beloved characters of Aslan the Lion, the Pevensie children, the Beavers, Father Christmas, and the faun, Mr Tumnus, to the stage, along with the terrible White Witch Jadis, her sled-pulling dwarf and the wolves that act as her secret police. The beautiful set, designed by Jay Crowder, will transport audiences instantly into...

Think “Denman Island Craft Fair” and you’re likely to think “tradition.” This 33-year-old event is a big, colourful celebration of craft genres and techniques that go back thousands of years. But the Fair also features a number of artists whose work combines ancient and modern in totally unique, even mindblowing, ways. Hornby Island artist Stevi Kittleson is one of these. Both playful and profound, her work cheerfully collapses the gap between seemingly contradictory categories. She works on a computer, and yet all her material comes from the recycling depot. Her prints consist of pictures of cast-off junk, but are also depictions of nature. She uses a camera, but isn’t a photographer. At first glance, many of Kittleson’s prints look a lot like classical botanical drawings. Others appear to be lighthearted renderings of anthropomorphised crows and ravens, often playing instruments. But look closer, and a multi-layered world unfolds. Those flowers don’t correspond to anything that grows on earth. Petals are made of repeated images of old typewriter keys, and the tangle of roots is actually a clump of wires. A beetle’s pincers are electrical plugs, its feet are drill bits. Hidden behind images that are themselves hidden behind images are lines of text, sometimes poetic, sometimes provocative, often punning. For instance, the playfully-named Helianthus Steamerii is a flower made out of repeated images of vegetable steamer components. (Who knew that...

by Danny Zanbilowicz, Publisher Island WORD This election year, things are happening which may mean something, or nothing at all. For example, this year the Chamber of Commerce did not sponsor their usual all-candidates’ public meeting. Instead they organized a last-minute trimmed down version. There were explanations that involved critiquing the old format, (Ed. note- the “speed-dating” Chamber event was well received by participants) but the truth is- the Chamber was busy doing something else- spearheading a public campaign to garner support for “governance review”. In spite of anyone’s protesting otherwise, the reason people would go to the considerable trouble of initiating governance review is to discuss, and promote “amalgamation”. Which would mean the unification of our urban communities and part or all of the Comox Valley Regional District into one big governing body, like “Comox Valley”, or perhaps “Greater Courtenay”. Certainly there are strong arguments for governance review, or examining how our area is divided into separate jurisdictions- Cumberland, Courtenay, Comox and the RD, each with its own elected reps, and staff. For example- our ecosystem and wildlife corridors don’t recognize boundaries- nor do our systems of water distribution and waste management- better to think of them in terms of a regional whole. Then there’s the costly triplication of services like police, fire, and administrative staff. Opponents of governance review of any kind worry that a shift...

Each Saturday features a delicious recipe from the North Island Chefs Association – and of course all of the wonderful local producers of vegetables, meats, baking, preserves, fish and more! See you at the Native[...]

Explore the natural and created beauty of the Central Island. FREE www.CentralIslandTour.com This is latest evolution of the Central Island Studio Tour – now in its 6th incarnation since May of 2015. Transitioning to a[...]